Saturday, May 07, 2016

Kira's Horse

It was a sunny May morning in 2013 when two horses from the Chicago Police Department's Mounted Unit paid 9-year-old Kira Mammoser a visit outside the Park Ridge hospital she had called home for the last four months.

It would be one of the last outings of her short life.

Nearly three years later to the date, the horses were back at Advocate Children's Hospital, joined by a vibrantly colored, life-size horse statue that will serve as a memorial to the little girl who loved animals.

A dedication of the statue, which was donated to the hospital by Kira's parents, Cindy and Chuck Mammoser, took place Wednesday behind the Children's Outpatient Center, with family — including Kira's twin bother, Christian — friends, hospital staff and several Chicago police personnel present. The Rev. Daniel Brandt, the Chicago police chaplain and Park Ridge native who helped arrange for Kira to meet and pet the live horses three years ago, blessed the memorial statue and those gathered around it.

16 Comments:

May God bless Chuck and his family. I first met him and his family at another officers backyard pool. The is a stand up guy, great father and husband. Open your hearts and check books for this charity.

There but for the grace of God goes anyone of us.Stay safe good luck on this job.

God Bless everyone that made that little girl so happy. No one will ever know all the good that CPD and other departments do for people everyday. Also please notice that again a beautiful act is not even mentioned in the media. Stay safe Brothers and Sisters.

Thanks SCCC for posting this story. Kira was very special to us, as she was to so many. The men and women of the CPD once again showed they are one family, united in service, connected by care. Thanks, too, Father Dan for your kind words; and to the mounted unit - this is the third time you honored our granddaughter and no words can express our gratitude. Thank you, simply does not seem like enough, but having spent 33 years in the fire service, I know that sometimes those are the nicest words you will ever hear.

SCC- Thank you for the posts regarding my daughter Kira and her wish to see the police horses before she passed away in 2013. The horse memorializing Officer Eric Lee will continue to honor him as well as serve as a reminder of the day the CPD Mounted Unit came to see my little girl. It also continues to bring joy to kids on their way into Lutheran General Children’s Hospital. Thank you to everyone at the Mounted Unit, the Chaplain's Ministry , EAP, and the rest of CPD for all the support my family received during Kira’s illness and passing. Sgt. Charles Mammoser

I am truly sorry for the loss of your daughter. No parent should have to suffer this. I am sure she brought you joy and many memories in her short life. I am happy that Father Brandt and the Mounted Unit were able to bring happiness to her in her time of sickness and to bring your family some comfort for a loss that has to be unbearable.